Conclusions for the 2013 World Championships

Here is a chance to focus on summarizing our conclusions; what we have learned and what we can now expect as we head towards Sochi.

First, COP seems to be misunderstood or not liked by many or some. the Germans in pairs, Carolina in the short and Patrick Chjan in the long have been criticized as they were marked too high for error filled or affected programs. But these skaters seem to know the parameters or rather the aprameters allow them to score well despite errors. Chan's skating skills are phenomenal and for all of them missing a jump or two can be made up on other jumps and other elements as well as pcs. All three have reknowned skating skills like them or not. And their technical skills aren't anything to sneeze at especially with others making erros.

Second, I don't think we can say there was a lot of national bias towards Canada in the judging. Patrick's win is because of pcs and the fact others faltered too and most worse. Denis Ten is a good skater but his skating skills/pcs still are lacking and certainly his free program was not choreographed as a artistic wonder. The Canadians did not get a lot of fourtism or els one would think they would hae won silver in pairs and such.

Third the US's rookies Max Aaron and Gracie Gold did their country proud. And the Us ladies have three spots and that has always been their marquee sport for the ladies so kudos to them.

There is the mini breakdown heading into sochi of the Russian skating team other than pairs and even then K and S and B and L were not well received Russia is diecimated. In ladies they barely made the top ten. And in dance their apparent no. 1 team crashed and burned (I and K) and they need an overhaul technically and artistically.

In dance it appears by the wide margin ithe sd that D and W are heavy OGM favourites BUT break down the performances and V and M may not be dead. They barely lost the freeskate and in the SD they made 3 mistakes so they aren't too far behind them.

It is exciting but precarious there are a lot of potential medallist ie men - Fernandez, Ten but the ylack consistency. the Japanese men showed vulnerabilty but still have chances for gold and podium in Sochi. In pairs the battle really is about bronze. Ssquared from Germany and V and T will duke it out for gold. V and T have to worry about content - the germans have far more difficult jumps and throws. The battle from bronze includes Pang and tong, two Canadians, two Russians and the maybe the Italians. Inladies its Yuna and then Carolina and Mao and then a h uge group led by two Americans - Wagner and gold, Murakami and potential whoever represents Russia (and I do mean whoever) plus Osmond.

Skaters to watch: Li, Gold and Osmond in ladies, Ten in men (but he could bomb even worse than Leonova and suzuki) and Reynolds what will he do to improve his artistry and pcs (skating skils); Mt andM and the exciting French team in pairs; chock and bates in dance

Skaters that are fading or may not make their potential

Thomas Verner once so much hope now making top 15 is hard., Brezina on the cusp of greatness but seems to be slipping further away from the gold , the Frenchmen Florent Amodio not consistent enough with the big tricks and hasn't grown pc wise; Joubert some glimmer of his great past but that was another era he really skates like he just wants to go to the olympics but he really looks a bit weathered. In ladies Leonova might as well start crocheting doilies with Markova - we may never see her on the int'l big stage again especially with two spots. Suzuki we'll see if she fights back. She is quite mature in age already for a skater. if Ando comes back is there room for her on the Japanese team? Jenna McCorkell will go to the olympics again but really she is looking tired and has stopped developing as a skater. Sui and Han are young but they don't seem to be the right size for each other with her growth. Pang and Tong - painful at times to watch as he tries to deal with injury and time. they epitomize the team that really really really wants gold at the Olympics but really their time has passed; they won the Oly freeskate in 2010. It would be tempting the skating Gods that they would try to do the same thing as their compatriots come back just to get ogm. It is almost against the laws of nature so to speak that this would happen to the same nation twice in a row.I and K what a disaster. I think the Shibs are fighting so good for them. For a while I thought P and B were fine but oddly enough we find them in the situation we thought might happen minus I and K passing them. the italians, Weaver and Poje and B and S snuck past them. If anyone was to retire I think it would be P and B but I think they will skate on for the olympics.

Overall a poorly skated world championship; not a lot of great amazing skates if any that were truly spectacular. Nice to see Yuna back on the throne The results were generally right; imho other than the Germans silver (should have been 3rd or 4th..